While writing comes naturally to some, most medical professionals who decide to take on the task of medical blogging quickly realize that they aren’t one of those kinds of people. As a medical professional, you’ve dedicated your life to knowing how to perform procedures like colon and rectal surgery, not how to write to an audience about it. Because of this, it can be very difficult for doctors or other medical workers to feel like they’re having success with their blogging efforts. So to help with this, here are three tips that can make your medical blogs a little easier to write and better to read. [Read more…]

You’d think that they’re harmless pieces of hardware. But what you may be surprised to find out is that it has the capability to kill you. No, it’s not the “rise of the machines” Terminator-style kind of carnage, but a more subtle one.

Using your computer extensively actually contributes to poor health. Bad posture leads to chronic pain, you can get addicted to games, it can make you fat from the lack of physical activity. All of these problems can be caused by that computer in your home office. So take heed and lead a healthier lifestyle – and turn your back from your computer from time to time. [Read more…]

You know what they say? It ain’t over till it’s over. That line goes through for last year’s most dreaded outbreak that spread on a worldwide scale – the H1N1. It’s a good thing that the outbreak was short-lived. The bad news is, it might not be over yet. A second strain might attack us anytime soon. This is what during the 1957 strain of influenza that hit the United States.

Google Flu Trends, tracks the popularity of Google search queries relating to flu or influenza and then estimates the level of flu in near real-time in specific places. Google updates this daily and even provides early detection warning of any flu activity. Although experimental by nature pending validation from official data, the Google Flu Trends estimates were derived from U.S. national estimates, so there is still some degree of validity.

Google Flu Trends is a very useful tool and illustrates again how web tools can be used for the common good of mankind. Hopefully, the second strain of influenza that might happen soon is not as bad as the first strain. Better yet, let’s just hope that the second strain does not happen at all.

VideoMD.com, a new website that focuses on physician-generated video health information, has reached a milestone of 2500 patient education videos. VideoMD.com would like to thank all of the physicians, health care providers, and institutions that have helped to contribute to this milestone.

“We are quickly building the most comprehensive library of health information videos on the web. All of our featured videos are reviewed by physicians for medical content. We want the health information consumer to know that our video library is up to date, and trustworthy. We have videos from your own trusted physicians, as well as some of the preeminent specialists in their field of medicine,” said Dean Heller, MD, President of VideoMD.com.

In addition to providing a portal for all health information consumers, VideoMD.com serves as home for physicians to better educate their own patients. Health care providers can post educational videos for their own patients on their individual page of VideoMD.com.

The new blog will complement Dr. Weilâ€™s existing web sites, each of which provides a unique focus. The flagship site, DrWeil.com, features more than 5,000 pages of detailed and comprehensive information on all aspects of natural health. In addition, Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging explores how to minimize and manage age-related health conditions naturally, and Dr. Weilâ€™s Optimum Health Plan takes plan members through an eight-week program that optimizes the health of body, mind and spirit.